Conversion
by Jai Dethar
Summary: This story does involve things from Goosebumps and is also a romance, though it may not seem like it yet. Also, I am not anti-religious.
1. Painful Past

RIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIING!  
"Huh?" Aryca Storm rolled over getting tangled in her sheets. She looked at the clock and groaned, "Its only 4!"  
RIIIIIIING! RIIIIIIING!  
"Who wakes up this early to call me?" She reached for the phone knocking her lamp over in the process. "Dammit!"  
"Aryca?"  
"What do you want?" she said, annoyed.  
"It's Brent. What was that crash?"  
Ignoring his question, "How can you be up this early after staying up all night?"  
" I don't have to sleep."  
"Well I do. I envy the undead."  
"I can wash away that envy for ya. Just say-"  
"Don't even finish that sentence Brent, you know how my dad is, if he ever suspected that you were even thinking about putting me through alteration without his consent he would personally de-fang you with his gloved hands."  
He laughed, "I know." 'But all I really need is your consent, I don't care about the consequences,' He thought to himself.  
"So why did you call?" Her voice jarred him out of his thoughts.  
"You don't remember? You said you were going to help out with my dad's 'dinner' party."  
Aryca smacked herself on the forehead, "That was today? I totally forgot. I'm sorry. Lemme just get dressed and wake my dad and I'll be right over."  
"OK, I'll be waiting."   
Aryca heard a click and then a dial tone. She sat up and tried to get out of bed but tripped over her sheets and slammed her hand onto the shattered remains of her lamp, successfully re-opening a scar on her palm.  
"Damn! This is turning out to be a 'good' day. I really don't have time for this."  
She ripped a piece of cloth from her nightgown and tied it around her hand. "That will have to do for awhile." She headed to her closet. "This will be about twelve hours of work so..." She pulled out her old oversized overalls and a green tube top, "something comfortable should be good enough." She pulled off her nightgown and slid her bathrobe on before she left her room and ran down the hall to her bathroom. She locked the door behind her and let her bathrobe fall to the floor and un-clipped her auburn hair and let it fall to her waist. She pulled back the curtain to her shower, started the water, and hopped in.  
"I need to get some more shampoo," the scent of juniper filled the room as Aryca massaged the shampoo into her hair. She rinsed, washed her body in the sent of rain, stood in the cool water for a few more seconds before jumping out.  
She gazed at herself in the mirror as she toweled off, noticing her many scars crisscrossing over her belly, arms, and neck. She quickly looked away.  
'How would I ever have chance with him looking like this...' Her thoughts trailed off as her memories came flooding back and hot tears welled up in her emerald eyes as she remembered her hellacious past...  
***************  
"Mommy, where's Daddy going?" Asked Aryca.  
"He's going away honey. He doesn't love us." Mary answered.  
"He doesn't"  
"No honey. But you're going to get a new daddy today"  
"But I don't want a new daddy; I want my old daddy."  
"Of course you don't, you'll like your new one better."  
Mary pulled into the church parking lot.  
"Come on sweetie."  
"What is this place?"  
"This is where your new daddy lives"  
"I don't want a new daddy, Mommy."  
"Don't argue with me." She took Aryca's hand and pulled he into the building.  
The man standing at the altar looked up from his papers  
"Ahh, welcome Mary. Who is this fine young lady?" Asked Reverend John.  
Aryca stared at the crucifixion, her eyes widening. She seemed in a trance.  
"Answer him honey." Mary whispered.  
"I bet I could guess your name. Is it Aryca?"  
Aryca jumped at the sound of her name.  
"Mommy I want to go." Aryca ignored the Reverend.  
"Honey, Mr. Smith is going to say a few words to you and then we can go."  
"No Mommy. I want to go now."  
John grabbed Aryca's hand.  
"Come on this won't take long."  
He started towards the altar. As they neared the Madonna statue, the flames of the candles flickered black. Aryca collapsed to the floor, covering her ears.  
"What's going on!" Shouted Mary.  
"Make them stop Mommy! They're scary!"  
Mary ran to her daughter.   
"What Aryca! What do you hear!"  
"Voices! Make them stop, Mommy! Please make them stop!"  
"Aryca! There are no voices. You must be hearing things."  
"I do, Mommy, I do! They say I need to leave here, That I don't belong! They say if I dont leave they will hurt me-" her voice was cut off by her screams of pain. Deep gashes began appearing on her arms, hands and neck. Her shirt quickly became soaked with blood.  
"Get her out of here, Mary!" John yelled  
Mary lifted Aryca, still screaming, and ran out to the parking lot. John followed. Aryca ripped herself free from her mothers grip and ran to the car locking her self inside  
"What are we going to do with her?" Mary looked to John.  
"We need to get her to a hospital."  
"No, I mean what are we going to do with her. She is obviously different."  
"We could keep her locked away and isolate her from everything and everyone, especially her father."  
"We couldn't keep her locked up. Sooner or later she would be stronger than us and break free."  
"That's true, but for now... well, look at her." John pointed towards the car.  
Aryca was curled into a fetal position hugging her knees. Tears streaked her face and her eyes were staring into nothing.  
"She looks so distant."  
"Lets hope that its just the pain and the shock ad she doesn't stay that way," John said, "For now, get her to St. Mary's hospital and make sure to sever all contact with her father. Tell no one of these events. I'll think of what to do."  
***************  
Aryca opened her eyes and remembered where she was. She finished drying off and got dressed. Quickly, she ran a brush through hair and picked back up and them brushed her teeth. As she headed down the hall to wake up her father, her mind slammed the door to her memories, protecting her from her past. 


	2. Hit the Park

Aryca Storm walked down the hall to her father's room. As she neared the door, she noticed a faint buzzing sound, like a motor, emanating from inside.  
'He staid up all night again.' She pounded on the door.  
"Dad!"  
"Is that you Aryca?" a tired voice called.  
"Who else would it be? Were you up all night again?"  
"I was working." He opened the door. Madison Storm's tousled jet-black hair was pushed up out of his jade eyes by some goggles. He looked at a watch dangling from his neck on a platinum chain. His brow furrowed.  
"What are you doing up? It's only four thirty.  
"I promised Brent that I would help him and his dad set up the clearing for the party."  
"That's today?"  
"Yes. Why didn't you sleep?"  
An explosion shook the room.   
That's why I didn't sleep." Madison ran to a machine that dominated the room. Aryca raced after him.  
Her father ran his fingers through his hair before replacing the cover back onto the control panel.  
After surveying the scene Aryca asked, "Can you fix it?"  
"I can fix this," He said motioning to the control panel, "but I'll have to replace the main sensor. And I think the hydro-engine's been obliterated." He closed his eyes and waved his hand out in front of him. A portal showing undulating scenes of a far away city opened.  
"I'll need to go and get replacements."  
"You be careful over there." Madison started towards the portal, "Hey! Don't you need some money, Dad?"  
"Do you really think I need some?" he said with a mischievous grin.  
"If you get caught Dad..."  
"Aren't I the one that supposed to worried about you?" he squeezed her hand, "Go and have fun, hopefully I'll make it back in time for the, err, 'party'." He stepped through the portal.  
She ran down the stairs and flew out the door into Horrorland.  
"What a beautiful day!" Aryca said to herself as she breathed in the cool air. The sun wasn't up but a sheet of gray could be seen covering the sky .   
She unlocked the rusty iron gates that led into the park. They swung open with a creak. She left them open since it was a rare occasion that any human lived long enough to reach her fathers personal section of the park. She took the dusty path into the even darker shade of the forest. A hissing started up almost a soon as she step into the leaves.  
"Hush! Uruloke you know better!" She spoke into the trees. The hissing died down and a green snake floated down to her shoulder. She stroked his head as he wrapped himself around her arm.  
"Are you going to help me with the party today?" She cooed in a singsong voice.  
"How come you don't talk to me like that?" a voice came from the darkness.   
Aryca jumped and the snake streaked back into the canopy.  
"You're unusually jumpy today." A man in a black trench coat with short hair to match stepped out of the shadows. He wore sunglasses with silvery polarized lenses to protect his onyx eyes from the sun. He grinned at Aryca, fangs flashing.  
"Brent! Why do you always have to appear out of nowhere?" Aryca demanded.  
"I love to see you scared. Your really cute when your afraid." He smiled again.  
She smiled in spite of herself, "Why do you have to be so charming?"  
"I'm a vampire. It's my nature. Besides , it gets me out trouble." He winked over his sunglasses, "Why do you always have to be late?"  
"It takes me a bit longer to get ready since I sleep and all. Also, the Monster Attracter exploded. Ever since those damn preteen brats screwed around with it he hasn't been able to get it to work right.  
He started laughing, "Will he make it back in time?  
"As long as he doesn't terrorize people, yes."  
"I'll tell my dad he'll be late then."  
Aryca laughed, "You don't give him enough credit." She gazed up into the trees, "Come on Uruloke! Your fangs are far more deadly than his." The tree snake drifted back down to her shoulder. His amber eyes flashed with anger towards Brent. Aryca started walking .   
"Don't be so sure." He murmured under his breath. Uruloke hissed. He spoke up, "We better get over there before Jeff throws a fit."  
"Jeff's there?" Aryca groaned, "Don't be surprised if he picks one of the pretty ones for himself."  
"Dad already gave him consent. He's waiting for us to get there so he can scan the park for one."  
"There are people here already?"  
"Thrill seekers, the park's starting to get popular. Your ad campaign is doing cool."  
"There are actually lines now?" the shadows dissipated as they stepped into a clearing  
Brent jumped back into the shade and covered his eyes, "I hate that."  
"You ok?"  
"Yeah, I'm fine, just gotta let my eyes adjust."  
"You need stronger sunglasses? I can go get you some from the city."  
"No, that's ok." he looked up at her, "Hey, you sound concerned. Is that some human emotion coming from the unfeeling Aryca Storm?"  
She blushed and turned away, 'No, I just-"  
"Hurry up you two!" A tall, muscular guy ran across the clearing.  
"Simmer down Jeff you don't even know if there are ay single girls in the park yet." Brent stepped slowly out into the light again, shading his eyes, "Let's go check in with Dad and then you can go."  
Jeff looked at Aryca, "You had to bring the snake didn't you?"   
"And hello to you too," Aryca glared, "You act like you've already met this girl."  
"Actually I have she came yesterday and I invited her to the party tonight."  
Aryca's eyes widened, "Really? Does she know that since it's gonna be a full moon tonight, you might just rip off one of her limbs?"  
"I have a bit more self-control than that."  
"You just hope that she isn't wearing any silver."  
"Aryca and Jeff. Must you two always be bickering?" a man in a deep vermilion cape crossed the clearing  
Jeff turned around and quickly straightened up when he saw who was talking, "No sir."  
"I didn't think so. I didn't put you head of this project for nothing."  
Aryca who was giggling behind Jeff, stopped and took a step back, "You made him head of the project?"  
"Ah, Aryca," He threw back his cape with his pale hands and bowed, "So nice of you to join us on this fine morning. Will you and your father be joining us tonight?"  
Dreyk Hollow was the twelfth great grandson of Count Dracula himself and seeing the way he carries himself, he knew it. His pale face defied his age with his strong jawline and flawless skin. He, and his son like him, shiny black hair and midnight eyes that shone with smoldering embers of deep emotion.  
"Yes we will. Thank you for the invitation." She said politely as she could manage.  
He glanced at Brent, "The pleasures all mine." He smiled.  
"Um, Mr. Hollow, Sir, I was wondering if, um, I could;"  
Dreyk cut Jeff off, "Yes you can go. The Horrors will finish up with the stage and lights," He said motioning towards a group of grotesque monsters lounging in the shade. "Son, you and Aryca go too. You're to young to be working here when you can act your age and have a good time." He turned and signed to the Horrors to start working.  
"Go home Uruloke. We don't want to scare away Jeff's new trophy." She knelt and let the snake slither back to the forest.  
"Do we really have to watch him try and make it with some ditzy blonde?" The three started off away from the clearing.  
"You don't. You two could always go off alone and, well, how did you put it Brent?" Jeff grinned nastily at Brent.  
"Where did you say you were going to meet her?" Brent quickly changed the subject.  
Jeff bit his lip, "Uh, actually, you two may want to leave or at least you Brent." The path turned to cobblestone as the stepped into a plaza.  
"Why? Oh, you didn't pick that as... Jeff your stupid sometimes you know that?" Aryca said.  
"I totally forgot! You know how it is Brent, you see the girl, your mind goes blank, and you just agree with everything she says."  
"Yeah, but if you wanted to show her off you shouldn't have picked The House of Mirrors."  
"Brent!" Aryca yelled. Brent looked up and instinctively covered his face with his trench coat. Even Aryca had to look away as a tiny bit of sun reflected off the House of Mirrors and created a blinding flash.   
"Jeff, we'll stay back here and wait for you. I think she's already there. Is that her?" Brent pointed to a blonde girl standing with her hands on her hips looking annoyed.  
"Yeah that's her. Shit! She looks pissed. Wish me luck!" Jeff ran towards her already thinking up excuse and explanations. Aryca and Brent sat on a bench and waited, Brent still shading his eyes from the light. 


End file.
